The importance of prioritizing mental health

In May, Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open and last week, Simone Biles stepped away from all but one of her gymnastics competitions at the Tokyo Olympics. Both athletes stated the need to take a break for the sake of their mental wellness, and many have stepped up in support of these world-renowned athletes, applauding them for setting a good example for others.

How can these acts of bravery and courage be an example for young people?

“In the cases of Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, we witnessed two incredibly strong and gifted women of color demonstrate what it looks like to choose the path of self-care in the face of excruciatingly demanding life pressures, championing in the era of prioritizing mental health,” said Kianna Carter, MSW, LSWAIC, a licensed clinical social worker at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.

Carter is part of the behavioral health team at Mary Bridge Children’s and works with youth through partner organizations like Kids’ Mental Health Pierce County and YES Tacoma. She leads free webinars and group therapy sessions for teens in the Tacoma Public Schools district and encourages young people to establish healthy self-care habits. She said it can be easy to let our mental health and self-care slip down the list of priorities, especially when life stressors and obligations are in constant demand.

Why does this seem so groundbreaking?

“We often witness a stigma related to speaking up about mental health challenges, further perpetuating the false narrative that we can simply push through mental health issues that we experience,” Carter said. “Unfortunately, this mindset leads to further deterioration of an individual’s mental wellness and can have significant impact on various domains of their lives.”

Chris Ladish, PhD, chief clinical officer of pediatric behavioral health for Mary Bridge Children’s and MultiCare Behavioral Health Network, agrees with the need to destigmatize talking about mental health. “I think the more we talk about it, the more people can appreciate that mental health challenges exist, particularly during tough and stressful times; having an intense reaction to a really challenging circumstance is normal,” Ladish said. “That does not mean that we should disregard our struggles, but rather that we should honor the impact that stressful events have on our lives and seek support when needed.”

While most people won’t be front and center on a world stage, all can learn from Osaka and Biles and take steps to prioritize mental health. This is especially important for kids to learn early on.

“Creating a prioritizing a self-care routine is of the utmost importance to establish and maintain your mental health,” Carter said.

Simple tips that support mental health can look like identifying small and manageable activities that promote health, wellness and relaxation, including:

• Going for walks during lunch or class breaks.
• Listening to a favorite podcast.
• Meditating for five minutes after waking up.

Carter said it’s important to remember that self-care requires self-reflection and an understanding of an individual’s health and wellness needs.

“It’s important to recognize that self-care may look different from person to person, however the universal motive for self-care reinforces the concept of prioritizing your mental health,” Carter said.

Ladish encourages parents and caregivers to talk about mental health with their children, and to take them seriously if they raise concerns.

“Mental health is just one component of overall health. Unfortunately, people may separate the two, but that’s not really how it works,” Ladish said. “There definitely is a synergistic effect between how we’re doing physically and how we’re doing emotionally; I think it’s really important for kids and adults to understand that the two work together and don’t operate in silos.”

“When parents are aware that their child is struggling [with mental health], I think it’s really important to take them seriously,” Ladish said.

Find more information about mental and behavioral health services at Mary Bridge Children’s. Find more information about webinars and upcoming events in partnership with Kids’ Mental Health Pierce County.